Reduced weight and volume is a main focus in the development of flat panel display technology. Effort is made to device a new flat panel display, which is light, compact, shock resistant and low power consumption in the flat panel display industry. For realizing such a flat panel display, which is light, slim and shock resistant, research focus of flat panel display technology has shifted from prior art glass substrate based process into plastic substrate based process. A patent application filed to WIPO No. WO02/42832A2 by KONINKL PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV comprises technology based on the new plastic substrate display manufacturing process, wherein the technology involves with wrapping liquid crystal with polymeric material on the substrate. Steps of the process comprised in the patent application are shown in FIG. 1A to FIG. 1E. Firstly, in FIG. 1A, a layer of photopolymer material mixture 2 is coated on a substrate 1. The photopolymer material mixture 2 is composed of NOA 65 and liquid crystal materials. In FIG. 1B, a blade 3 is utilized for leveling the photopolymer material mixture 2. In FIG. 1C, the photopolymer material mixture 2 is positioned under a mask 4, and exposed under ultra violate 5 for an exposure process step. The area of the photopolymer material mixture 2 exposed under the ultra violate 5 is hardened and forms a plurality of polymer wall columns 20 as shown in FIG. 1D. A second exposure process step is performed as showed in FIG. 1E. However, the strength of the ultra violate 6 is weaker and exposure time is longer than the first exposure. The second exposure forms a thin hardened layer 21 on the surface of the photopolymer material mixture 2. Then the process moves to the step of completing phase separation between liquid crystal and the photopolymer material.
The patent application filed by KONINKL PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV requires two exposures for forming a polymer structure wrapping liquid crystal in the manufacturing process. In addition, the second exposure involves with a step using low energy and long process time, which may cause deterioration of liquid crystal. Also, the manufacturing window is small, the yield rate is slow, and the display modes applicable are limited. Further more, in the patent application No. WO02/42832A2 by KONINKL PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV, the method used in forming polymer walls adapts a phase separation technique, which leads to a increased amount of polymer and interfere with the quality of liquid crystal formation. The present invention utilizes a mask exposure or molding method for forming polymer wall. Such technique involves with reduced amount of polymer used also results in increased quality of liquid crystal formation.
For resolve the aforementioned problems, a method for manufacturing liquid crystal display device is provided in the present invention, which offers increased yield rate and display modes.